Janpukar News/ SR
In-form Sachin Dhas staged Team India’s fightback with a match-winning 96 as Uday Saharan and Co. chased down the modest 245-run target in the first semi-final of the U-19 World Cup at the Willowmoore Park on Tuesday. Sachin and Saharan stitched a record-breaking run stand for India after the Men In Blue suffered a top-order collapse in the penultimate clash of the U-19 World Cup. Playing a captain’s knock, Saharan scored 81 off 124 balls to carve out a famous win for the defending champions.
Earlier, South Africa took the upper hand for a brief period thanks to opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius. However, spinners Musheer Khan, Murugan Abhishek and Priyanshu Moliya came in and strangled the Proteas in the middle overs. India never took the foot off the pedal and kept the pressure on the hosts throughout their innings. South Africa ended up becoming the first team in this tournament to score more than 170 against India and were limited to a score of 244/7 in 50 overs.
The boys in blue have not just won every match they have played, but they have blown their opposition out of the park, winning three of the games by more than 200 runs. They were hot favourites to beat hosts South Africa and continue their hunt for a sixth title. Defending champions India have marched on into the final on the back of six consecutive wins in the tournament, with their exciting talent putting up a fine all-round show to ensure their dominance.
English